Log In
View Cart Wish List Checkout
In this week’s edition of All Access, we take you back to Storrs, Connecticut for an exclusive look at a University of Connecticut women’s basketball practice. Watch as head coach Geno Auriemma walks through several team drills for you and details specific roles, player movements, overall strategies, and general tips.
This first layup drill starts with three lines on the baseline and the ball in the middle. Initially, there’s a full-speed dribble to the opposite foulline. Then, the players immediately turn around and come back and get a layup. The ball handler should push the ball out in front each time. Players should also keep their heads up. When coming back, the middle player hits a wing player for the layup in stride.
With fast breaks, the players focus on different 3-Man Weaves starting at half court. The drill — which incorporates layups, pull-up jumpers, and five-footers using the glass — serves as a terrific warm-up drill.
For this passing drill, two players at a time will get down in a defensive stance, both on opposite sides of the paint starting at the baseline. Each pair will stay in their defensive stance all the way down the floor while catching and passing continuously. Players should stay in their defensive stance the entire time until the end. Once the first team hits the foul line, the next group starts.
Next, the team moves to a popular shooting drill. Two players will work with each other at one basket. Players should get their own rebound and make good passes to their teammate. The first team to make 10 shots at five baskets wins. Players count their made shots out loud. Shots are taken from the foul line, elbows, and just inside the key.
Finally, in this particular ball handling session, UConn guards are working on dribbling down at one end of the floor. It’s a half-court drill where each player has a ball and goes up and back in a 1-on-0 situation. Players work on hesitation dribbling, stop and go’s, crossovers, and more — with both hands. Eventually, the guards move into drills against stationary defenders while incorporating layups.
Meanwhile, post players are on the other end of the floor working on low post positioning, entry passes, and moves in the paint with a defender on their back.
According to Auriemma, there’s only so much time during the middle of the season that you can devote to ball handling, but hopefully everything you do leads into it and incorporates it. The preseason and postseason are the optimal times to really work on your team ball handling.
The previous clips can be seen in Championship Productions’ DVD “All-Access Practice with Geno Auriemma.” To check out more videos featuring Coach Auriemma, click here.
The 1-3-1 Trapping Defense has been an effective scheme for Bob Huggins and his programs for decades. In this week’s team development feature, Coach Huggins will break down some of the key concepts, movements, assignments, and overall coverage for the 1-3-1 Defense. This turnover-inducing defensive scheme — which divides the court in half — relies heavily on ball pressure and trapping. Be sure to follow along and see which concepts you can take away and then implement with your own squad this season.
For the wing players in the 1-3-1, it’s key that they don’t let the offense get the ball into the middle of the floor. The goal here is to keep the ball on one side of the floor. For the wing defender, you must close on the outside shoulder of the nearest offensive player to prevent movement. Get up in their face so they can’t skip the ball. Get your hands up and try to get the opponent to drive into our help defense.
Be cautious of closing too far on the outside of your opponent. Don’t give up the straight line drive. With our help in place, it will funnel the offensive player to the baseline/wing and not straight at the basket. Remember, we are keeping them on one side of the floor and forcing low percentage looks.
If the ball goes into the near corner, the wing defender now must guard the high side and then turn and defend the inside. The wing player must also defend the first pass wherever it goes on his/her side of the floor.
A major goal with this defense is to shrink all gaps. We want it to seem for the offense that there is nowhere for them to go. So, how exactly do we do that? First, we must always have ball pressure. We must make the passing lanes longer so the ball stays in the air.
Next, we are always line to the ball. The ball can go over, under, or around me, but it can’t go through me. Meanwhile, hands are always high and active and we also want to discourage direct passes.
Finally, don’t go over the top of the post. Always go in the direction of the ball.
***Stay tuned for more features incorporating key concepts and drills with the 1-3-1 Trapping Defense in the coming weeks.
The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “Bob Huggins: Full Court 1-3-1 Trapping Defense.” To check out more defensive drills and systems, click here.
Hoping to add a few new inbounds plays this season to spice up your playbook? Check out these trio of plays used by the Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors, and Boston Celtics during the 2008-09 NBA campaign. NBA Advanced Scout Noel Gillespie gives you exclusive access to a variety of effective in-bounds plays designed to net points — particularly for late game situations or late-clock scoring opportunities.
The Set-Up: The 1 guard or shooter starts with the ball out of bounds on the sideline. One forward is at the far-side elbow, the other guard is at the nearside elbow, the big man is at the top of the key, and the other forward is at the low near block.
The Action: The farside elbow player cuts to the near corner, then the low block guy cuts to the far opposite corner. The ball is passed in to the player in the near corner. Then the near elbow guy cuts to the top of the key and replaces the big guy. The big guy comes down and sets a screen for the inbounder just to the left of the top of the key. The inbounder cuts around this screen to the top of the key. The corner player hits the inbounder with a pass at the top of the key for a shot.
The Set-Up: A guard takes the ball out of bounds. Two players start on opposite side wings (guard and forward) just off the top of the key. The big man is just above the foul line and another forward starts down low in the middle of the paint.
The Action: The big man sets a back pick for the nearside high wing player. That wing player will cut to the opposite corner. The big man will then screen for the 3 man on the opposite high wing area. That 3 man will then cut to the near corner. Then the big man will set another pick, this time for the guard down low and that player will come up to the top of the key.
The inbounder passes to the guard up top. After that pass, the inbounder cuts down towards the near low block and around the low side of a double screen there set by 5 and 4. The inbounder cuts below and then up to the far wing area, receives the pass from 2, and takes the shot.
The Set-Up: The inbounder (forward) starts on the sideline. Another forward starts up at the top of the key. One guard is on the opposite wing. A second guard is just off the low near block and the big man is at the near elbow.
The Action: The elbow player comes down and sets a screen for the low block player. The top of the key player then switches with the wing player (trading spots) while the big man sets the down screen. The low block player curls around the pick and receives a lob from the inbounder for a quick layup.
The previous plays can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “25 Game-Winning In-Bound Plays From the Pros” featuring Noel Gillespie. To check out more play-oriented videos, visit our extensive DVD catalog.
We have just added two new LSU Football DVDs to our online selection. The DVDs feature current #1 ranked LSU and their coaching staff. These two Football DVDs are called:
Secrets to Great Defensive Line Play
Purchase the two DVDs together and save $10!
Secrets of Great Defensive Play 2-Pack
Towson University men’s lacrosse coach Tony Seaman considers many of the drills based on the 4 v 4 set to be very effective for game planning. This formation allows coaches to be flexible with their personnel and gives them the chance to move players around to create a variety of game-like situations. Plus, only one or two coaches have to oversee the drill, which is efficient for getting things done both offensively and defensively. Be sure to check out our feature from last year detailing three pick plays using the 4 v 4 set.
Offensively, the 4 v 4 set typically features a midfielder up top (1), a midfielder or attacker (2) on the left wing, a midfielder or attacker (3) on the right wing and an attackman behind the goal (4) — forming a 1-2-1 set.
The offensive players are guarded by the typical defense they’d see in a game situation. The 1 player is defended by a short-stick defender (5), the 2 player is defended by a short-stick defender (6), the 3 player has a long-stick defender (7) on him, and the 4 player has a long-stick defender (8) on him behind the net.
Keep in mind, if you usually put a long-stick defender on the 1 man, just replace him with the 7 defender (or you can use 3 or 4 long-stick defenders in the drill so that your personnel gets used to this style of play).
First, we will give 1 the ball and have him drive down the alley (right side in this case). From this position, he can look for a shot on goal. However, if he gets doubled, he will look for 3 on the inside, who gets open from a C-Cut. Also, 1 can look for 4 as an outlet behind the GLE.
Now, let’s look at the 4 v 4 and some things you can work on defensively out of this formation.
First, it’s the job of 5 to take away the middle of the field. He will force 1 to go down the alley. Next, we will have 7 slide out and into a double team situation — and this will drive 1 towards the sideline. Now, 1′s first look will be to 3 in the middle of the field. The responsibility for 6 is to come across the middle and take on 3.
Now let’s look at the 4 v 4 starting behind the goal. We will start the ball with the 4 attackman behind the goal. He can drive whichever direction he wants. Let’s start with the right-hand side. He will try to come around the side and shoot the ball, or look for a pass out in front.
Meanwhile, the 8 defender will likely recognize which hand is his strong hand. If 8 knows that 4 is a righty, he will then try to take away that side by playing his right side and force him to the left and use his left hand. Next, 7 and 6 will make sure they are between their man and the ball. 5 will move down a bit to the side that 4 drives for help defense and a possible slide.
Slide Scheme: Let’s take away 4’s right hand and force him left. 7 will slide early. We want 6 to come across and play 3. 5 will then drop down to 6’s spot and pick up 2.
Note: When you do get shots, you get more much realistic shots and great shooting practice on the goalie.
The previous clips can be seen in Championship Productions’ DVD “The Best Drill in Lacrosse: 4 v 4” featuring Towson head coach Tony Seaman. For more videos featuring effective practice drills, click here.
About Us | Security & Privacy | Shipping | Affiliates | Advertise With Us | Help | Contact Us | Site Map | Drake University Distance Learning | Gift Certificates | Request a Catalog | Print Order Form
| 1-800-873-2730 info@ChampionshipProductions.com |
|
 |
 |
|||||
© 2011 Championship Productions, Inc.
Worry-Free Shopping